Athletes have a long history of bringing about social change by helping to raise awareness and foster dialogues around issues of inequality and injustice in and out of sport. In recent months, our national attention has turned toward athletes engaged in a movement that puts a spotlight on racial injustice in the U.S. Although social justice activism by athletes is not a new phenomenon, athletes’ recent peaceful protests, public statements and collective action have sparked national discourse and debate over the appropriateness of athletes using sport as a vehicle for social change.
Div. 47 (Society for Sport, Exercise & Performance Psychology) supports athletes, coaches and other prominent stakeholders in sport who choose to use their platform and visibility to advocate for positive changes in our world.
To assist psychologists and the public on how to best support athlete activists, Div. 47 has developed several resources: